Panel holder for wall or ceiling finish with panels arranged on the supporting members

ABSTRACT

The panel holder disclosed is in the form of a flat plate generally in the shape of a pie plate including a flat central section provided with opposite panel-supporting segments projecting from one surface for respectively engaging the opposite margins of a panel, said segments being parallel to the plane of the wall or ceiling finish and having an arcuate peripheral shape in said plane. Opposed attachment tabs extend from the opposite face of the plate for securing the holder to a support, the segments and tabs alternating around the peripheral portion of the holder with the tabs arranged to engage a support when the holder is rotated relative thereto. The holder may be cut from sheet plate material and cut and formed to provide the panel-supporting segments and the attachment tabs.

United States Patent Rijnders 1 Feb. 8, 1972 [72] Inventor: Willem Riinders, Ridderkerk, Netherlands 1 [73] Assignee: Hunter Douglas International Ltd., Pointe I Claire, Quebec, Canada 22 Filed: June 16, 1969 [211 App]. No.: 833,635

13/11 Foreign Application PriorityData June 14, 1968 Germany ..P 17 59 845.7

152 u.s.c1 ..52/36,52/220, 52/506,

' 52/665, 52/719, 24/73 [511 1m.c1. ..E04c5/l6,A44b2l/00 [58] FieldotSearch ..52/70971l,665 669, 1 52/710, 719, 220, 36, 506; 24/221, 221 L, 73 RM, ,f 73; 49/468 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,449,883 6/1969 Skubic et al. ..49/468 2,065,529 12/1936 Kehr et al. ..52/710 2,762,398 9/1956 Adam ..52/7l0 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 144,014 10/1951 Australia ..24/22l L 48,706 6/191 1 Austria 296,176 5/1965 Netherlands .....52/665 Primary ExaminerFrank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr.

Attorney-Pennie, Edmonds, Morton, Taylor and Adams 5 7] ABSTRACT The panel holder disclosed is in the fomi of a that plate generally in the shape of a pie plate including a Hat central section provided with opposite panel-supporting segments projecting from one surface for respectively engaging the opposite margins of a panel, said segments being parallel to the plane of the wall or ceiling finish and having an arcuate peripheral shape in said plane. Opposed attachment tabs extend from the opposite face of the plate for securing the holder to a support, the segments and tabs alternating around the peripheral portion of the holder with the tabs arranged to engage a support when the holder is rotated relative thereto. The holder may be cut from sheet plate material and cut and formed to provide the panel-supporting segments and the attachment tabs.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIED m em:

SHEEIIUFZ INVENTOR Willem Rijnders BY M, M, m, WV

ATTORNEYS PAIENTED FEB 81912 SHEETZUFZ NNNNNN OR TTTTTTT Y5 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This ja pplication corresponds to an application No. P 17 59 845.7, filed in Germany on June I4, 1968.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to an adjustable panel holder for a wall orl eiling finish with panels arranged on supporting members. M re particularly the invention relates to a holder provided with supporting segments to engage the edge portions of the panels from the inside, the supporting segments being are shaped and extending parallel to the plane of the wall or celling finish.

2. Description of the Prior Art In known panel holder designs there is the disadvantage that in hsse bled condition the angle between the supporting members and panels is invariable, the angle being as a rule 90. If it is desired for architectural effect simply to fit wall or ceiling areas with irregular boundaries, or to establish some other angular relationship between supporting members and panels, specially designed panel holders must be used on which bent supporting segments or preferably tabs for retaining th e panels are provided. The panels are commonly C- sh ped in section and run at such an angle to the supporting membeis. This necessarily leads manufacturers and installation firms to keep on hand a considerable assortment of different panel holders, for different angles, which proves to be economically disadvantageous.

The primary object of the invention is, therefore, to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a panel holder that permits the panels to take various angular positions relative to the supporting members on which the holders are mounted. In the solution of the problem of providing a panel holder for this purpose, it was discovered that a particular panel holder according to the invention having supporting segments to engage in the intumed edges of the panel would accomplish the results desired. In the desired structure, the segments run or extend parallel to the plane of the wall or ceiling finish and are are shaped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, panel holders are provided suchthat the panels may beslipped over the panel holders in retained position and may be rotated in the plane of suspension on the arc-shaped supporting segments. The panels, therefore, may be laid parallel to each other at any angle when the wall or ceiling finish is installed. Another important feature is that a panel holder having a single structure may be utilized for running panels at various angles to the supporting members. The panel holders are so constructed that they are always available and useful in all possible positions and applications in practice. Furthermore, the distances of panel holders from each other may be varied at will or according to various spacing of supports on which the panels are mounted.

The supporting segments of the panel holder may for example be in the form of retaining flanges bent downward from a plane surface, while the panel flanges are in contact with their lower edges, providing edge contact. The supporting segments may be of any shape suitable for engaging particular panel flanges, and the panel flanges likewise may be of any suitable shapes. Apart from edge contact between the supporting segments and the panel flanges, area contact is possible as well. In one embodiment of the invention, for example, two opposed supporting segments, having the shape of circular sectors, are provided on the panel holder. If required, however, the supporting segments may alternatively form a closed, annular circumferential rim.

The panel holder may be secured to the supporting members in known manner. but in a preferred'form of the invention, the panel holder includes clamping tabs so fashioned that the panel holder may be clamped to the supporting member with a rotary motion, the tabs being pushed onto the supporting member.

According to another feature of the invention, at least one retaining stirrup may be attachable to the panel holder, serving to retain pipe, tubing or the like laid inside the corresponding panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An embodiment of the invention by way of example, with certain modifications, are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a panel holder having a structure according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side or edge view of the panel holder shown in FIG. 1, looking in the up and down direction of FIG. 1, illustrated in connection with a C-shaped panel thrust upon it;

FIG. 3 is a side or edge view of the panel holder shown in FIG. 1 taken in a direction opposite to that of FIG. 2and mounted on a support;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a central portion of the holder, as shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the manner of suspension of a pipe from the panel holder by a retaining stirrup;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the panel holder shown in FIG. I mounted on a support and suspending a pipe and also illustrating the position of a panel engaging the holder and covering the pipe; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a portion of the holder and the support shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, the holder having a structure according to the invention is shown at 1, generally more or less in the shape of a pie plate having a flat platelike central surface 2. Two similar panel supporting segments 3, on opposite sides of the plate, are bent away from the plane of the plate, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, at an angle of about 40. The segments 3 comprising retaining flanges form portions of circular sectors extending through an angle of, for example approximately These marginal segments serve as supporting flanges on which to secure panels 8 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the panels having inwardly curved or bent edge portions 8a which hook over the segments 3. The panels are, therefore, in elastic engagement with the retaining segments or flanges at their edges and provide a clamp suspension structure. The panels 8 may be retained at various angles, since they may be rotated relative to the panel holder. Two or more panel holders may be used for supporting a single panel, particularly if it has considerable length.

In fonning the holder 1, the plate surface is cut out on opposite sides, between the flanges 3 to form clip tabs 4, which are located on the side of the plate 2 opposite from the flanges 3, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. These clip tabs are provided to grip supporting members, such as the member 9, having outwardly projecting flanges 9a which are gripped under the clip tabs 4 when the holder is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The respective clip tabs 4 engage the flanges 9a and clamp the holder to the support 9 as the holder is rotated to engage the flanges 9a.

The clip tabs 4 are cut so that they are oriented in the same rotational direction around the holder and are designed to engage the flanges 9a of the supporting member 9, illustrated in U-shaped configuration. The clip tabs 4 are actually forced or thrust over the flanges 9a.

The holder is also provided with upturned tabs 5 shown in FIGS. I, 2 and 6. They project from the plate surface 2 ol' the holder and make contact with the edges ol' the llnogcn when the holder is rotated into clamping relation with the mrpport ing member. The tabs 5 thus prevent the pnnelholtler from being turned back after it is clamped onto the, supporting member 9, as seen in FIG. 6. I

' In accordance with an additional feature of the panel holder, it is provided with a narrow slit 6 and a wider slit 7, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, located at a distance for the insertion of elements of a pipe supporting stirrup 10, which is shown in place in FIG. 4. The stirrup advantageously has the structure shown in FIG. 4, so that it can retain a pipe 11 or other conduit. The stirrup is bent into a U-shape having one right angle leg 10a inserted in the slit 6 and a straight leg 10b, which is pushed through the slit 7. This leg is provided with small projections 10c arranged to snap behind the plate 2 and thereby lock the pipe stirrup in place. As shown in FIG. 4, the pipe stirrup 10 is made long enough so that the pipe extending along inside can be moved laterally to some extent as may be necessary.

FIG. 5 shows an assembly of all of the elements of the holder and illustrates the manner in which the turned edges of a panel extend over the flanges 3 and how the pipe stirrup holds a pipe-adjacent to the holder concealed under the panel 8 It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawings and described above, except as specified in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A panel holder for wall, ceiling and the like finish with panels connected to supporting members, said panel holder comprising a generally flat and circular central section, spaced panel-supporting segments respectively projecting outwardly from opposite edge-portions of said central section for respectively engaging the inside opposite marginal portions of a panel, said segments having an arcuate shape and projecting outwardly from said edge-portions at an incline away from the same side of the plane of said central section, the outer edges of said segments being parallel to and spaced from the plane of said central section of the holder, and means on the central section of the holder for securing it to a supporting member.

2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein each panel holder includes a clip tab for securing the holder to a supporting member, said clip tab extending from the faceof the holder opposite to that of the supporting segments and along and spaced from the plane of the flat central section of the holder.

3. A panel holder according to claim 1, including a stirrup on the central section of the holder on the side of the panelsupporting segments for retaining a conduit.

4. A panel holder according to claim 1, wherein the panel supporting segments of the panel holder have the shape of a circular sector.

5. A panel holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein each circular sector extends through an angle of approximately 70.

6. A panel holder according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the supporting members includes a pair of spaced flanges and the panel holder includes opposite clip tabs extending from the peripheral portion of the central section and arranged to clamp the holder onto said flanges when the holder is rotated relative to the supporting member.

7. A panel holder according to claim 6, wherein the panelsupporting segments of the holder and the clip tabs alternate with each other around the peripheral portion of the central section of the holder and project from opposite surfaces thereof.

8. A panel holder according to claim 6, including stop tabs extending from the same surface of the holder as the clip tabs for engaging surfaces of the supporting member and preventing reverse rotation of the holder on the supporting member. 

1. A panel holder for wall, ceiling and the like finish with panels connected to supporting members, said panel holder comprising a generally flat and circular central section, spaced panel-supporting segments respectively projecting outwardly from opposite edge-portions of said central section for respectively engaging the inside opposite marginal portions of a panel, said segments having an arcuate shape and projecting outwardly from said edge-portions at an incline away from the same side of the plane of said central section, the outer edges of said segments being parallel to and spaced from the plane of said central section of the holder, and means on the central section of the holder for securing it to a supporting member.
 2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein each panel holder includes a clip tab for securing the holder to a supporting member, said clip tab extending from the face of the holder opposite to that of the supporting segments and along and spaced from the plane of the flat central section of the holder.
 3. A panel holder according to claim 1, including a stirrup on the central section of the holder on the side of the panel-supporting segments for retaining a conduit.
 4. A panel holder according to claim 1, wherein the panel supporting segments of the panel holder have the shape of a circular sector.
 5. A panel Holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein each circular sector extends through an angle of approximately 70*.
 6. A panel holder according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the supporting members includes a pair of spaced flanges and the panel holder includes opposite clip tabs extending from the peripheral portion of the central section and arranged to clamp the holder onto said flanges when the holder is rotated relative to the supporting member.
 7. A panel holder according to claim 6, wherein the panel-supporting segments of the holder and the clip tabs alternate with each other around the peripheral portion of the central section of the holder and project from opposite surfaces thereof.
 8. A panel holder according to claim 6, including stop tabs extending from the same surface of the holder as the clip tabs for engaging surfaces of the supporting member and preventing reverse rotation of the holder on the supporting member. 